Camp Bisco 2012 Preview

The Disco Biscuits, 9:30 PM – 10:45 PM

Crystal Castles, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Most electronic acts are restrained on stage, even when their crowd is going nuts, but the duo of Ethan Kath & Alice Glass (QRO live review) match their audience’s fervor – which has gotten them booted from more than one stage, especially at festivals.  So even if you fall on the ‘hate’ side of this love-them-or-hate-them act (from Canada, surprisingly…), show up for the spectacle… (QRO live review)

Brooklyn indie-dance outfit Rubblebucket (QRO live review) fit into any line-up, from ultra-hipster to jam (QRO photos at a festival).  Known for electric live shows (QRO live review), the group comes to Camp Bisco (QRO photos at a festival) behind 2010’s Omega La La (QRO review).

Also:

Kung Fu, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Skrillex, 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Originally frontman for L.A. post-hardcore outfit From First to Last, Sonny Moore – a.k.a. Skrillex (QRO photos) – has since reinvented himself as the electro-house/dubstep DJ (QRO photos).

Canadian duo DC & Hooks make up the genre-defying Zeds Dead.

Also:

Mansions On the Moon, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Inspired Flight, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

OWSLA Records curates the B.I.G. Tent on Thursday:

Porter Robinson

Porter Robinson (QRO photos) might not be old enough to drink, but he’s already an established DJ.

Zedd, 11:35 PM

Kill the Noise, 10:30 PM – 11:30 PM

Alvin Risk, 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM

Daedulus, 5:15 PM – 6:30 PM

The M Machine, 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM

Archnemesis

Bird of Prey, 11:40 PM

Orchard Lounge, 10:45 PM – 11:35 PM

Virtual Boy, 8:00 PM – 9:15 PM

Star Eyes, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM

Hot Tub, 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

Michetti, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Fiku, 8:00 PM – 9:15 PM

Roots Colider, 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM

Capt Midnight, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

PH Factor, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

The Disco Biscuits, 11:30 PM & 9:00 PM – 10:15 PM

Big Boi, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Still probably best known for being one-half of massively successful duo OutKast, Big Boi (QRO photos at a festival) first showed off his solo skills (QRO photos at a festival) in the Speakerboxx half of OutKast’s 2003’s double-LP, Speakerboxx/The Love Below (the latter half being partner Andre 3000’s own solo debut).  But the hip-hop artist is out with his own (QRO photos at a festival), fully solo Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty last year.

Brooklyn duo Break Science have worked with everyone from Wu Tang Clan to Miles Davis collaborator John Scofield, and come to Camp Bisco with Chali 2na (QRO photos at a festival), who himself is a former member of Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli.

Future Rock, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Xylos, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM – (QRO photos at a festival)

Amon Tobin, 10:15 PM – 11:30 PM

Brazil’s Amon Tobin isn’t just another world-electronic musician.  The virtuoso sound engineer has done such things as release a record based entirely on the manipulation of field recordings (2007’s Foley Room) to soundtracking such movies as The Italian Job and 21.  He comes to Camp Bisco to perform his latest, last year’s ISAM, which has female vocals made from his own voice, synthesized, gender-bending like a twenty-first century Bowie.

Indiana’s Lotus moved from self-described “jamtronica” into a more electronic & instrumental style – but are still a jam band festival mainstay.

This West Coast draws from far up its shore with Alaska’s Portugal. The Man (QRO photos at a festival).  The rambling grunge outfit garnered new fans with 2007 sophomore release Church Mouth (QRO review), and its unhinged alt-rock (QRO live review), though slipped somewhat since then, even while finally playing Europe (QRO photos at a European festival).  Their latest, major label debut The Mountain In the Cloud (QRO review), is more psych-lite, but they still bring it live (QRO live review).

Eliot Lipp, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

The Knocks, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM – QRO photos at a festival

MIMOSA

MIMOSA can’t be categorized or pigeonholed.

Swedish electro-house duo Dada Life (QRO photos) are frequent festival performers.

3Lau, 10:30 PM – 11:45 PM

Abakus, 9:15 PM – 10:15 PM

Emancipator, 7:45 PM – 9:00 PM

Ill-Esha, 6:15 PM – 7:30 PM

Nit Grit, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Orchard Lounge, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM

Nobody Beats the Drum, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM 

Dr. Famous, 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM

Mux Mool, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Tycho

Ambient electronics come to Camp Bisco in the form of Scott Hansen, a.k.a. Tycho.

Simon Green plays a late-night DJ set as his alter ego, Bonobo.

London’s famed Ninjatune imprint takes over the Label Tent with four of their artists:

Starkey, 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

FaltyDL, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Blockhead, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Hot Sugar, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Austin’s Nadis Warriors are expanding sounds with everything from the usual (guitars) to the unusual (Tibetan singing bowls) – and playing both Friday & Saturday at Camp Bisco.

Killabits have brought Britain’s dub-step to their home of Toronto.

Funky jazz beats come in the form of Mindelixir.

From tiny little Halifax, Nova Scotia, Rich Aucoin (QRO photos at a festival) brings energy and experimentalism to his dance music, most recently with last year’s debut full-length We’re All Dying To Live (QRO review).

Spiritual Rez, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Wobblesauce, 6:45 PM – 7:30 PM

Damn Right, 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM

Capitial Zen, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM

Former Champions, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Somni, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Silo Effect, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

The Disco Biscuits, 11:15 PM

Big Gigantic, 8:30 PM – 9:45 PM

Boulder’s Big Gigantic (QRO photos at a festival) mix (big) electronic beats with live drums and even live saxo-mo-phone (QRO photos at a festival).  Known to set crowds in a writhing heap of body parts, Big Gigantic has been showcasing their electronic fervor all across the globe (QRO photos at a festival).  The band currently has a downloadable album off their website, and are set to soon play the popular Red Rocks Amphitheater in September.

YACHT, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM

Originally one-half of The Blow, Portland’s Jona Bechtolt has since made even more of a name on his own as YACHT (QRO spotlight on), with 2007’s I Believe In You. Your Magic Is Real (QRO review), 2009’s See Mystery Lights (QRO review), and last year’s Shangri-La (QRO review), bringing in partner Claire Evans (QRO interview with both).  But it’s their exciting live shows (QRO photos at a festival) that are really breaking them through (QRO live review), whether in the club (QRO photos) or outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), featuring such items as whole songs done from amongst the crowd, question-and-answer sessions (QRO live review) – and their own signature dance style… (QRO photos)

The Disco Biscuits, 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM

Also:

Manhattan Project, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Bassnectar, 9:45 PM – 11:15 PM

A festival mainstay, Lorin Ashton (a.k.a. Bassnectar – QRO photos) brings the lights live (QRO photos at a festival) – as well as the hair…

There might not be a more ‘live’ electronic band out there today than Holy Fuck (QRO live review – whose name did bring a Canadian MP to question the nation’s support of such music acts as F*ck…), whose stated mission is make electronic music without all the studio trickery so prevalent in the genre – and which so often hampers it live (especially outside of the dance club).  Instead, the band managed to record 2007’s LP (QRO review) on the fly (with opener “Super Inuit” in front of an audience), following it up in 2010 with Latin (QRO review), and have since worked the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), where there sound hasn’t wilted outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).

The DJ/producer and rapper duo hailing all the way from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has already garnered themselves the reputation of one of hip hops most cacophonous and respected acts.  Known for his aggressive and energetic performances, Atmosphere’s set is a definite must-see (QRO photos at a festival).

Also:

Brothers Past, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM

El Ten Eleven, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Simian Mobile Disco

The Disco gets very Mobile when ‘The James’ – Ford & Shaw – bring the light & sound show that is Simian Mobile Disco (QRO live review) to Camp Bisco (QRO photos), playing well into the night, where their lights can really shine (QRO photos).

Montreal’s Alain Macklovitch got notice when picked to be the personal DJ to none other than Kanye West (QRO album review), but has also produced for the likes of Lupe Fiasco (QRO photos at a festival) & Kid Sister (QRO photos at a festival), as well as his recent work with Armand Van Helden as Duck Sauce (QRO photos at a festival).

Dillon Francis, 11:45 PM

OLIVER, 8:45 PM – 10:15 PM

Mord Fustang, 7:15 PM – 8:30 PM

Star Slinger, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – QRO photos

Lance Herbstrong, 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM

Minnesota, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Shigeto, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM

Revolvr, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Ghost, 12:00 PM – 12:50 PM

Gramatik

Gramatik comes all the way from Slovenia (the best part of the former Yugoslavia) to play late night at the Label Tent.

Zoogma mix DJ and four-piece rock with this year’s debut, Recreation Vehicles.

Hit dance label Fool’s Gold has been bringing their Clubhouse around the world, curated by Nick Catchdubs & A-Trak (QRO photos from Fool’s Gold Clubhouse at another festival):

Craze, 8:45 PM – 10:00 PM

Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, 8:15 PM – 8:45 PM

Nick Catchdubs, 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM 

Codes, 5:45 PM – 7:00 PM

JWLS, 4:30 PM – 5:45 PM

Freekbot, 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM

Paul Chambers, 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM

Alpha Data, 12:30 PM – 1:30 M

Dopapod, 7:45 PM – 9:00 PM

Eyes of the Elders, 5:45 PM – 7:15 PM

The Nadis Warriors, 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM

Skeetones, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Paper Tiger, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Chamelon Project, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM